Railway vehicle draft gear-coupler structure



May 7, 1940.

C. L. REID I ,RAILWAY VEHICLE DRAFT GEAR-COUPLER STRUCTURE Filed lay 5,1959- 2 sneeis-sneet 1 FIG-.2..-

INVENTOR Char/es Lfierd 6 A RNEY May 7, 1940. c. L. REID RAILWAY VEHICLEDRAFT GEAR-COUPLER STRUCTURE Filed lly 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORChar/es L Ti'e/d A TT RNEY Patented-'May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE RAILWAY VEHICLE DRAFT GEAR- OOUPIER STRUCTURE Application May 5,1939, Serial No. 271,820

4Claiml.

This invention relates to railway vehicle draft gear-coupler structures,and more particularly to such structures adapted for the front end of a.locomotive.

The principal object of the invention is to simplify such structures.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this application, Figure 1 isa fragmental diagrammatic side elevation of the front end of alocomotive embodying the present invention, the coupler being shown ininactive position, and indicated in active position in dot and dashlines; Fig. 2 is a fragmental front view of the parts shown in Fig. 1,the coupler being shown only in inactive position; Fig. 3 is a verticalsection, on the line III-III of Fig. 4, of the parts shown in Fig. 1,the coupler being shown in active position, and indicated in. inactiveposition in dot and dash lines; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on theline IV-IV of Fig. 3; and Figs 5, 6 and 7 are views of theyieldingly-restrained member of the draft gear, Fig. 5 being a sideelevation, Fig. 6 and end view looking from the right of Fig. 5, andFig. 7 a bottom view.

The draft gear-coupler structure of the present invention is illustratedin the drawings as disposed at the front end of a locomotive. Thereforewhen employing such terms as front and rear," and similar terms, it ismerely on account of the particular disposition of the structure shownfor illustrative purposes. In brief, for clarity, the coupler proper isconsidered the front of the structure.

Structures of the type of the present invention,

I when used at the front end of a locomotive, in

modern practice usually employ couplers that have the capacity forswinging vertically from active to an inactive out-of-the-way position.Such a coupler is employed in the preferred embodiment of the invention,but from a broad aspect the invention is not so limited. Neither is theinvention limited to a coupler which drops from an active to an inactiveposition as shown, but the invention also contemplates a coupler whichcan be raised from an active position to an inactive out-of-the-wayposition, both types of couplers being well known. Furthermore, thecoupler of this type may be counterbalanced or not, as desired, and itmay be counterbalanced by a weight or by a counterbalancing device, as

over adds to simplicity, reduces weight, andadds to the compactness ofthe structure.

Couplers at the front end of a locomotive are, relatively speaking,seldom used, especially in the case of modern streamline locomotives.Therefore simplicity with low attendant first cost and low maintenanceis a highly advantageous feature and it is the main object of thisinvention to attain these ends to a higher degree than in modernstructures of this type.

Only suilicient of the locomotive is shown to enable the invention to beclearly understood when applied to the front end of the locomotive.

The locomotive is indicated generally by the reference numeral l. Thelocomotive frame 2 is provided, at its forward end, with a centralchannel 3, open at the bottom and ends. A pilot beam 4 is secured to thefront of the frame 2 by any usual means (not shown), and is providedwith achamber or opening 5. open at its front and rear ends, and at itsbottom, and in line with the opening at the front end of the channel l.

A pilot 6 is secured to the pilot beam by bolts 7 and is provided with arecess or opening I aligned with the opening 5. A cover plate 8 closesthe bottom of the channel 3 and the bottom of the opening 5 and issecured to the frame land the pilot beam 4 respectively by bolts i0 andII.

A bracket I! is formed integral with the plate 8 at its front end and isprovided with an inclined face It for supporting the coupler when ininactive position, and the opening 5 extends well into the top of thepilot beam for receiving the rear end portion of the shank of thecoupler, all as will later more fully appear.

-The draft gear, indicated generally by the reference numeral 14, ishoused in the channel I, and in the openings 5 and 8. It comprisesshockabsorbing cushioning elements, not shown but disposed within theconfines indicated bythe dot and dash lines l5 and between the followermembers or plates l6 and ll of the draft gear. The draft gear proper maybev of any suitable well-known construction such for instance as that 43shown in my co-pen'ding application Serial No. 208,778, filed May 19,1938 (Patent No. 2,176,721, issued October-17, 1939). Ribs it are.formed on vertical walls of the opening 5 of the pilot beam 4 in advanceof and normally abutting the front face of the plate I6. Ribs it areformed on the vertical walls of the channel l-to the rear of andnormally abutting the rear face .of the plate".

Draft gears suitable for the presentinventim yoke-like member 28isemployed, but of novel construction, which forms a principal part of thepresent invention. The yoke comprises a rear end wall 2|, a wall 22, atop wall 23 and a bottom wall 24. These walls provide an opening 25,open at both of its sides, inwhich the draft gear proper is disposedextending therebyond at each side, the yoke being centrally disposedrelative to the draft gear proper. The wall 22 normally engages theplate 18 and the wall 2| normally engages the plate II,

The yoke rests upon a wear plate 26 supported on the plate 9, and at itstop is in sliding engagement with the top wall, or pad formed thereon,of the channel 8. Spaced side walls 27 extend forwardly through theopening 5 from the wall 22 and are connected rigidly therewith,preferably by forming them as integral members, as shown.

Under buffing and pulling forces the plates l6 and I! have relativemovement toward each other against the yielding resistance of the draftgear elements, plate l8 and the ribs I8 having relative movement underbufllng forces, and the plates l1 and the ribs I! having relativemovement under pulling forces. The plates I6 and I! are returned tonormal position by the draft gear elements when the respective applied;force ceases.

The yoke moves correspondingly withthe movements of the plates l6 and I?as afored'escribed. When the bufiing and pulling forces are transmittedby the coupler to the yoke, the yoke moves relative to the frame andthereby respectively moves the plat l6 toward the plate I! and the plateI1 toward the plate E8, the ribs I3 and I8 respectively receiving theseforces. In such instance upon return of the plates I 8 and H to normalpositiomas aforedescribed, the yoke likewise is returned by the platesto normal position.

When the bufiing and pulling forces originate in the frame '2, thereverse of the above will take place in an obvious manner, but in suchinstance the yoke remains stationary and the wall 22 and the wall 2|respectively receive these bufilng and pulling forces instead of theribs l8 and [8.

The aforegoing description of the operation of the draft gear isaccording to usual practice.

The structure further comprises a coupler 28, the head of which may beof any desired type. A shank 23 extends rearwardly from the coupler headwithin the space between the side walls 21.

The yoke is provided with a passageway for a pin, preferably byproviding orifices 30 in each of the walls 21, and the shank is providedwith a passageway or orifice 3|, these passageways or orifices extendingtransversely of the structure and in alignment.

A headed pin 32 is mounted in these passageways and is provided at itsextended end with a hole 33 for a cotter pin or the like (not shown).

The coupler is thus mounted on the yoke and the connection provided bythe pin and passageways is adapted for permitting the coupler to swinghorizontally. Provision for this is attained in the preferred embodimentby elongating the orifice 3| so that there will be suitable clearancespace a between the front face of the orifice 3| and the oppositeportion of the pin. The rear face 34 of the orifice 3| is roundedconvexly, and engages the pin for'receiving the pulling forces, at thesame time permitting the coupler to swinghortzontally. The pin alsoprovides a pivotal connection for the coupler permitting it to swingvertically from and to active position and from and to an out-of-the-wayor inactive position, as shown respectively in full, and dot and dashlines in Fig. 3. In the preferred embodiment the coupler drops fromactive position to inactive position, the head of the coupler movinginto the opening 8 in the pilot, the shank then being supported on theface l3 of the bracket I2, and the face 35 of the coupler then servingas part of the front of the pilot. The orifice 3| is formed preferablybetween the ends of the shank providing a shank rear end portion 38.

The walls 21 extend forwardly through the opening 8 beyond the orifices30, and are provided at their outer ends with transverse orifices 31which engage a headed pin 38. The extended free end of the pin isslotted and has pivoted within the slot a keeper 39 which,whenindroppedposition, holds the pin in place and which, when swung to horizontalposition, permits the removal of the pin. The pin is thus rendereddetachable for removal when the coupler is to be dropped to inactiveposition or raised to active position. The pin confines the coupler ineither of these positions. It engages the bottom of the shank of thecoupler for supporting the coupler when in active position, and engagesthe top of the shank for holding the coupler ininactive position.

The space between the walls-21 is open at the top to permit the shankrear end portion 38 to move to and from coupler-active and inactivepositions, and the opening 5 extends high enough to permit the necessaryvertical swinging movement of the coupler.

The walls 21 are connected at their lower ends by a bottom wall 48 foraffording additional strength to the yoke. This wall 40 rests upon awear plate 4| which is supported by the plate 9. The wall 48 extends tothe forward end of the side walls 21 but is provided at its centralforward portion with an opening 42 for permitting the coupler to swingto and from active and inactive positions.

The inner faces 43 of the side walls 27 are connected at their rear endsby a concavely-rounding face 44 which forms the front face of the wall22. The face 44 is shaped preferably as a vertical concave partial.cylinder with a vertical axis, indicated at :c, and provides a socketor bearing for the rear end face 45 of the shank rear end portion 38which engages the wall 44 to transmit the bufflng force. The space 0.serves to relieve the pin 32 from these forces.

Theface 45 is convexly rounded in a manner suitable for engagement withthe face 44, and when the coupler swings horizontally the face 45rotates about the axis x, in bearing relation with the socket-formingface 44. The coupler at the same. time swings about this axis a: andslides along the pin 32. This horizontal swinging movement takes placeof course only when the coupler is in service, and when for instance thecoupled vehicles are passing to or from or through curved track.

The distance between the faces 45 and 34 is such as to provide a workingfit between the face 45 and its engaging face 44, and the face 34 andthe engaging portion of the pin 32 and the center of curvature of theface 34 is preferably on the axis 1:. This prevents any appreciablerattling or play between the coupler and the pin and yoke;

permits the coupler to swing laterally with a,v

smooth motion about the axis a; and permits the face 34 to transmit thepulling force, and the face 45 to transmit the buffing force without anyappreciable shock or hammering. The face 45 is suitably convexly roundedin a vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit the face 45 topass out of and into contact with the face 44 when the coupler is movedrespectively from and to active position.

The face 45 is also permitted to freely oscillate vertically inengagement with and relative to the face 44 during the slight verticalmovement of the coupler when in active position in service.

To permit the coupler to swing laterally the inner faces 43 of the walls21 are suitably spaced from the shank 29, and this is accomplished inthe present instance by diverging the walls 21 from their rear ends,where the faces 43 blend into the face 44, outwardly to the end of theyoke, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The walls 21 are provided with laterally projectlng lugs 46, two ofthese lugs being provided, one above the other, for each wall. The lugshave outer vertical faces 41 which engage the inner faces 48 of thevertical side walls of the opening 5 in sliding engagement therewith sothat the yoke will be confined to longitudinal movement only. These lugsare preferably in approximate transverse alignment with the axis :c inorder to better transmit to the faces 48 any lateral thrust produced bythe coupler when it swings laterally or is in any of its lateral angularpositions during buffing and pulling forces.

The portion 36 of the shank 29, being disposed to the rear of the pin32, acts as a counterweight and in degree according to its length andweight. In the preferred embodiment however, in behalf of lightness andcompactness of the structure, a counterbalancing device, wherecounterbalancing is desired, is employed. This device is indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 49. The device comprises a bolt 50which passes through an orifice extending through the portion 36 fromtop to bottom thereof near its rear end. The bolt has a securing nut atits upper end and at its lower end is provided with an eye which isconnected by a pin 5i with an eye at the top of a bolt 52 suspended fromthe pin 5| and passing downward through aligned orifices 53 in the wall40, plate 4| and plate 9.

A collared washer 54 is mounted on the lower end of the bolt'52 and acompression helical spring 55 is mounted on the bolt 52 between thewasher and the plate 9. A nut 56 is screwed on the lower end of the bolt52 in supporting relation with the washer 54. The nut may be adjusted toregulate the normal tension of the spring when the coupler is in activeposition, as shown in Fig. 3. When the pin 33 is withdrawn the coupleris dropped to inactive position thereby compressing and energizing thespring, as shown in Fig. l. The pin 33 is then replaced to hold thecoupler in inactive position, and when it is desired to raise thecoupler to active position the pin is withdrawn and the compressedspring reacts to assist the raising of the coupler to active positionwhereupon the pin 38 is again replaced. A spring of suitable strengthmay be employed, or more than one spring, if necessary, tocounterbalance any desired portion of, the weight of the coupler. v

The bolt 50 is preferably disposed at the axis 0:, so that 'the devicewill be in vertical alignment with the axis, and will therefore belittle or nowise affected when the coupler, in active position, swingslaterally about this axis. The

orifice 53 in the plate 9 is elongatedin a direction longitudinally ofthe structure, and the other orifices 53 are of sufiicient size topermit for any slight angular movement of the bolt 52 that takes placewhen moving to assume its positions, shown in Figs. 1 and 3. andfurthermore the orifices 53 in the wear plate'4l and plate 3 permit theupper end of the bolt 52 to move with the yoke when the yoke moves dueto buffing and pulling forces.

It is believed that the operation of the structure will be understoodfrom the ai'oregoing description without further amplification.

While there has been hereinbefore described an approved embodiment ofthis invention, it will be understood that many and various changes andmodifications in form, arrangement of parts and details of constructionthereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventionand that all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of.the appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A railway vehicle draft gear-coupler structure comprising a couplerhaving a rearwardly extending transversely orificed one-piece integralshank; a shock-absorbing draft gear having a yieldingly restrainedmovable yoke-like member movable longitudinally from normal position inopposite directions for receiving and transmitting buffing and pullingforces, and automatically returnable to normal position, said memberhaving a vertical transverse wall in engagement with the rear wall ofsaid shank for receiving and transmitting bufling forces respectivelyfrom and to said coupler, said member further having an arm extendingforwardly from said transverse wall opposite each side of said shank andspaced therefrom, each of said arms being provided with a transverseorifice circular in cross section, said shank and arm orifices being inalignment and longitudinally spaced forwardly from said transverse wall;and a horizontal pin circular in cross section carried entirely by saidmember, extending through said orifices, snugly fitting the arm orificesand directly engaging the rear part of the shank orifice face therebyadapting said member for receiving and transmitting pulling forcesrespectively from and to said coupler through said pin, said shankorifice face at its upper part being in direct engagement with said pinwhereby said shank is supported by said pin, the forward part of saidorifice face being separated from said pin providing an unobstructedspace therebetween and said shank rear wall being convex transverselywhereby said coupler may be laterally swung in a horizontal planebetween said arms along said pin in sliding engagement therewith, saidcoupler being swingable vertically downward about the axis of said pinfrom normal position to an out-of-the-way position, the space betweensaid arms above and below said shank being open to provide a rear upperopen space and a forward lower open space and the rear wall of saidshank being convex vertically, to permit said vertical swinging of saidcoupler.

2. A railway vehicle draft gear-coupler structure comprising a couplerhaving a rearwardly extending transversely orificed one-piece integralshank; a shock-absorbing draft gear having a yeildingly restrainedmovable yoke-like member movable longitudinally from normal position inopposite direction for receiving and transmitting buf'tlng and pullingforces, and automatically returnable to normal position, said memberhaving a vertical transverse wall in engagement with the rear wall ofsaid shank for receiving and transmitting bufilng forces respectivelyfrom and to said coupler, said member further having an arm extendingforwardly from said transverse wall opposite each side of said shank andspaced therefrom, each of said arms being provided with a transverseorifice circular in cross section, said shank and arm orifices being inalignment and longitudinally spaced forwardly from said transverse wall;a horizontal pin circular in cross section carried entirely by saidmember, extending through said orifices, snugly fitting the arm orificesand directly engaging the rear part of the shank orifice face therebyadapting said member for receiving and transmitting pulling forcesrespectively from and tosaid coupler through said pin, said shankorifice face at its upper part being in direct engagement with said pinwhereby said shank is supported by said pin, the forward part of saidorifice face being separated from said pin providing an unobstructedspace therebetween, and said shank rear wall being convex transverselywhereby said coupler may be laterally swung in a horizontal planebetween said arms along said pin in sliding engagement therewith, saidcoupler being swingable vertical- 1y downward about the axis of said pinfrom normal position to an out-of-the-way position, the space betweensaid arms above and below said shank being open to provide a rear upperopen space and a forward lower open space, and the rear wall of saidshank being convex vertically, to

permit said vertical swinging of said coupler, each I of said arms beingfurther provided with another orifice, said last mentioned orificesbeing in alignment and longitudinally spaced from said first mentionedorifices; and a transverse pin secured in said last mentioned orificesin supporting engagement with said coupler when in normal position, saidlast mentioned pin removable to permit said coupler to be swungvertically.

3. A railway vehicle draft gear-coupler structure comprising a couplerhaving a rearwardly extending transversely orificed one-piece integralshank; a shock-absorbing draft gear having a yieldingly restrainedmovable yoke-like member movable longitudinally from normal position inopposite directions for receiving and transmitting bufiing and pullingforces, and automatically returnable to normal position, said memberhaving a vertical transverse wall in engagement with the rear wall ofsaid shank for receiving and transmitting bufling forces respectivelyfrom and to said coupler, said shank wall being convex transversely andsaid member wall being concave transversely, said walls having a commonvertical axis whereby said member wall forms a socket for said shankwall, said member further having an arm extending forwardly from itssaid transverse wall opposite each side of said shank and spacedtherefrom, each of said arms being provided with a transverse orificecircular in cross section, said shank and arm orifices being inalignment and longitudinally spaced forwardly from said transverse wall;and a horizontal pin circular in cross section carriedentirely by saidmember, extending through said orifices, snugly fitting the arm orificesand directly engaging the.

rear part of the shank orifice face thereby adapting said member forreceiving and transmitting pulling forces respectively from and to saidcoupler through said pin, said shank orifice face at its upper partbeing in direct engagement with said pin whereby said shank is supportedby said pin, the forward part of said orifice face being separated fromsaid pin providing an unobstructed space therebetween, and said rearpart of said shank orifice face being convex trans-' versely about saidcommon axis whereby said coupler may be laterally swung in a horizontalplane between said arms about said common axis along said pin in slidingengagement therewith, said coupler being swingable vertically downwardabout the axis of said pin from normal position to-an out-of-the-wayposition, the space between said arms above and below said shank beingopen to provide a rear upper open space and a forward lower open spaceand the rear wall of said shank being convex vertically, to permit saidvertical swinging of said coupler.

4. The combination of 'a railway vehicle; and a draft gear-couplerstructure comprising a coupler having a rearwardly extendingtransversely orificed one-piece integral shank, a shock-absorbing draftgear having a yieldingly restrained movable yoke-like member movablelongitudinalverse orifice circular in cross section, said shankv and armorifices being in alignment and longitudinally spaced forwardly fromsaid transverse wall, a horizontal pin circular'in cross section carriedentirely by said member, extending through said orifices, snugly fittingthe arm orifices and directly engaging the rear part of the shankorifice face thereby adapting said member for receiving and transmittingpulling forces respectively from and to said coupler through said pin,said shank orifice face at its upper part being in direct engagementwith said pin whereby said shank is supported by said pin, the forwardpart of said orifice face being separated from said pin providing anunobstructed space therebetween, and said shank rear wall being convextransversely about a vertical axis through said shank whereby saidcoupler may be laterally swung in a horizontal plane between said armsalong said pin in sliding engagement therewith, said coupler beingswingable vertically about the axis of said pin downwardly from normalposition to an out-of-the-way position and upwardly therefrom to normalposition, the space between said arms above and below said shank beingopen to provide a rear upper open space and a forward lower open spaceand the rear wall of said shank being convex vertically, to permit saidvertical swinging of said coupler, and a coupler counterbalancingspring-controlled device operably connected to a fixed part of saidvehicle, having a rod hingedly connected to said shank at said verticalaxis and a coil compression spring mounted on said rod, said springbeing energized during said coupler downward swinging movement to resistsaid movement and deenergized during coupler upward swinging movement toassist said upward movement.

CHARLES L. REID,

